PROTECTION OF MATERNITY.
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Senator Jones. To what extent is similar work being carried on in
the various States? Are -the States now doing this kind of work in
the way that it should be done ?
Mrs. Gibbs. Yes; I think they are all striving very hard to come up
to an ideal along that line.
Senator Jones. And to what extent are they succeeding ?
Mrs. Gibbs. Well, it is a matter of very slow growth. I will take
up a few of. those, if you can give me the time. I feel that this
American Children’s Hygiene Association has done splendid work
all over this country. They have their different affiliated societies
in every State, and Dr. Richard A. Bolt made the statement before
the other hearing—he is a director—and he said that there are 215
affiliated societies and that all the leading medical men in the country
are trying to work out these problems.
Now, it seems to me
Senator Jones. Have you any data to show what is being done on
that question in the State of New Mexico ?
Mrs. Gibbs. No. The American Children’s Hygiene Association
has that data. You can get in touch with them and you can get
excellent data.
The Chairman. American Children’s Hygiene Association has
indorsed this bill.
Mrs. Gibbs. I will take that up in a minute. You see, the whole
thing is with that association. I have a letter from Dr. Bolt, and he
says that the American Children’s Hygiene Association, representing
2,200 members, 215 organizations, and I have his written statement
with his executive committee of 11 members, and they are the ones
who decided about the bill, and the affiliated societies, of which I am
a member, did not discuss it. There has been some high-handed
methods of getting the indorsement. There have been some star-
chamber proceedings. I do not accuse Dr. Bolt, but 1 think perhaps
that he was very much mistaken, because Dr. J. H. Mason Knox, jr.,
who has been a child specialiat in Maryland long before this child
hygiene association came into being, I have a statement from him
The Chairman. Are you through with Dr. Bolt?
Mrs. Gibbs. 1 am simply saving that I $m now going to show that
this affiliated society of which Dr. J. H. Maxon Knox, jr., is the
president—he claims that he speaks for 215 affiliated societies. Ihis
association of which I am a member never indorsed or discussed it.
The Chairman. But Dr. Bolt has tiled a brief in favor of the bill
Mrs. Gibbs. But without authority from all of the affiliated asso
ciations. I feel that perhaps this statement of Dr. J. H. Mason
Knox, jr., will also have some bearing on that. I can not feel that
a man who has come to a leading position in his profession in tne
State of Maryland, who is the head of an affiliated society— I feel
and it seems to me that Dr. Bolt has exceeded his authority.
Senator McKellar. Then that would indicate that there is some
sort of a bureaucracy in the local organization
Mrs. Gibbs. There are a number of them who have had pressure
brought to bear on them. This thing is being stamped ed through
The medical men of the country stand in the midst of great turmoil,
and to my mind, there has been a very undignified method of forcing
it through. We have had difficulty' in having a hearing here
The Chairman. What do you mean that you have had difficulty
in having a hearing here?